You call us beloved
our God
beloved
for we are your children
and you are our Father
beloved
treasure
dearest
this is our blessing, which we offer our praise to you for
for your love is the most precious thing we can have
more precious than diamonds or great wealth
more precious than traditions we cling to
or grudges we hold in our hearts
to be beloved
is the greatest treasure
grateful thanks flows from our hearts for this gift
freely offered
Gift Giver
in receiving this gift of this knowledge
we are beloved
may it change our hearts
melt them, as we look upon others
those we struggle to love
those whose lives we disapprove of
those who are not our sort of people
and realise too, they are your children
your beloved
for they are made in your image
Lord God
we bring our beloved before you now
our close family and friends
we cherish them
as you do
surround them with your love, we pray
especially those who are physically far from us
and who we do not know when we will see them again.
We bless you, God
for engagements and marriages
children and pregnancies
new jobs and homes
and all the good news we share with those we called beloved
Loving One
beyond our own imagining
people across the world
endure suffering
today we specifically recall
women and girls Afghanistan,
those affected by the earthquake in Haiti
the Israel Palestine conflict
our hearts ache
we struggle to comprehend the suffering and torment
and wonder what we can do
so we pray
and pray and pray
for peace to prevail
for human traditions to be set aside
for the betterment of all people
who are all your children
your beloved
we also pray for humanitarian agencies working in these areas
and all who work for a better world
all this we pray in and through the name of the One who is
our beloved
Christ Jesus
Amen